The iftar that never ended

Iftar means "break fast." For Ramadan, this is an event that occurs at the end of the day (around six o'clock these days). It is a break in the fast that begins early in the morning (around 5 o'clock these days).

I have kept my Ramadan fast for the second year. I kept both food and drink from my tongue during these daylight hours for the earthquake of last year and for my travels to Kathmandu this year for each day of this month holy to Muslims.

I broke this fast today and do not plan to retake it this month.

The idea of fasting during the month of Ramadan seems to come from the idea of empathy (not sympathy) for the poor. On this line, the fasting teaches the individual to see the day through hungry and thirsty eyes. This is also supposed to be a time of charity; maybe give the extra money from those uneaten meals to the poor that you are trying to understand.

Of course, the month of fasting is difficult. It typically involves awakening before the first pale rays of light for a final cup of water or serving of food. The fast then ends with a personal struggle as the time for iftar approaches. I am sure one's diet, or items one chooses to consume, is another factor that affects the difficulty of the fast.

I gave up the fast because it started to become an excuse for my lack of performance in a number of areas, most notably in my teaching. I am a stubborn individual and could have kept the fast up, but I have been very unbalanced as I have managed efforts in volleyball, teaching three standard and two AP classes, a number of earthquake relief efforts, community service, and quite little in the way of renewing and caring for myself.

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Old postings:
Wish me luck!
Grumpy Me
into the deep, wild yonder
Summary: Ramazan (2005)